Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château Clément was built in 1879 in Vals-les-Bains, in the department of Ardèche, to serve as a residence for Marcel Auguste Clément, co-founder of the Société Générale des Eaux de Vals. Originally named La Châtaigneraie, this castle embodies the opulence of the era with its architecture combining the Second Empire and neo-Renaissance styles, marked by luxurious interiors and a panoramic canvas signed by the Lyon artist Jean Barthélémy Domer.

During the Second World War, the castle was requisitioned and transformed into an administrative institution. Among the detainees are personalities such as Vincent Auriol, the future President of the Republic, and Marcel Dassault, the aviation industry. These dark years contrast with its subsequent use: after 1945, the estate became a vacation colony run by IBM, before being bought in 1995 by the Rojon family.

Today, Clément Castle combines heritage and modernity. Reconverted into a luxury hotel with guest rooms and restaurant, it retains remarkable historical elements, such as its double walnut staircase, carved woodwork or chapel. The park of 4 hectares, populated by centuries-old trees and bordered by a private road to Vals-les-Bains, completes this prestigious setting, between memory and contemporaneity.

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